Known from DE 10 2007 012 830 A1 is a motor vehicle in which a cross member that supports the windshield is composed of two supporting structures joined to each other at their front and rear edges. The upper supporting structure has an upwardly curved cross section, with a front section that supports the front edge of the windshield and ascends opposite the traveling direction, a substantially horizontal middle section and a rear section that drops off sharply opposite the traveling direction. The upper supporting structure is divided into a plurality of webs by slits spaced apart from each other in the transverse direction of the vehicle. These slits prevent a deformation of the upper supporting structure that results from a head impact from spreading in the transverse direction of the vehicle, and may prevent regions of the cross member that were not directly affected by the head from deforming.
The slits each have front and rear ends, wherein the front ends lie deeper than the rear ends, and the curved webs running between them form a convex curvature facing the impacting head. Generally, this arrangement may be effective if the head impacts at the height of the convex curvature. In addition, the deformation trajectory on which the webs are effective may be short; as soon as the latter have assumed a concave curvature under the pressure of the impacting head, the force of impact is absorbed by regions of the cross member. In one example, if the point of impact lies in front of the curvature, the head, may contact a front edge of the upper supporting structure, which is reinforced even further by a lower supporting structure secured thereto. While it would essentially be conceivable to omit the lower supporting structure or also weaken it with slits, it would then no longer be possible to provide a sound-absorbing and odor-proof separation between the engine compartment on the one hand and the driver's cabin on the other, which would be pose a constant nuisance to the passengers in the vehicle.
Therefore, it may be desirable to provide a motor vehicle body in which a cross member that supports a front lower edge of the windshield ensures both a satisfactory separation between the engine compartment and passenger cabin, and an effective pedestrian protection. In addition, other objects, desirable features and characteristics will become apparent from the subsequent summary and detailed description, and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and this background.